


One Breath Apart

by Xylianna



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/F, Mentions of Poly, ladies being awesome, luna is a disaster gay, modern!AU, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 04:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21451993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xylianna/pseuds/Xylianna
Summary: Luna runs a bookstore, and needs a new fortune teller after her current one leaves. Gentiana comes in looking for a job, and their fates collide.
Relationships: Crowe Altius/Aranea Highwind, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Gentiana
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7
Collections: FFXV Holiday Gift Exchange 2019





	One Breath Apart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shepherd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shepherd/gifts).

> Ahhhh dear recipient, thank you for gifting me this amazing prompt!! I hope that the elements I chose from your various prompts (AU's being A Good Thing, all the ladies with a focus on Luna) turned into something that you enjoy reading half as much as I enjoyed writing!
> 
> I will return to this author's note to add beta credits once my secret identity is revealed ;) But they know who they are, and I am grateful for their help!
> 
> (Now that we're off anon, my thanks to [aliatori](http://archiveofourown.org/users/aliatori) beta-san extraordinaire and dear friend <3 )

The midday lull could be downright tedious, Luna mused. She clicked her nails against the countertop, watching her amethyst painted fingertips idly as they drummed along with the music piped over the speakers.

But, slow or not, she loved running The Oracle, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“Hey, I’m gonna go on break.” Crowe Altius, Luna’s assistant manager and best barista tapped her shoulder with a smile. “You want anything?”

“I’m good. Enjoy your break.” Luna smiled as her friend wandered off, having already seen the silver-white updo of Crowe’s girlfriend, Aranea, and hoping that they enjoyed the interlude together. And maybe locked the store room door this time. Iris might be a teenager, but the poor girl did not need to walk in on _that_ again.

“I restocked all the shelves!” The girl in question piped up from Luna’s other side excitedly. Iris Amicitia had gotten a job here to replace her older brother, Gladio, when he left for university. Their family was comprised of the most loyal bookworms you could ever hope to meet, and Luna enjoyed Iris’s cheerful disposition.

“Good job. Why don’t you update the end caps?” Luna suggested. “We haven’t rotated them in a couple weeks and I’m sure you have new suggestions to display for our customers.”

“On it, boss!” Iris saluted with a cheeky grin before heading back to the shelves.

Yes, it was good to be queen of her own domain, Luna mused smugly, a satisfied smile quirking her unpainted lips. She scanned from the bookshelves to the small cafe, little tables empty this time of day, but she knew they would fill up soon with the afternoon commute crowd. She looked over the crystals and tarot decks lining the other side of the shop, and a small frown marred her porcelain features taking in the empty seat where her fortune teller used to work.

Luna did not begrudge her childhood friend the chance to get his education, but when Noctis had gone off to university at the same time as Gladio, he did not have a sibling to offer as a replacement employee. And sadly, Insomnia did not have a huge market for the arcane, so Luna had gone the past two months with no one to fill the position. She would do it herself — she had a fair skill at reading runes — but the daily running of the shop took all of her focus, and while Crowe did a wonderful job when Luna had to take a day off, she didn’t want to push extra responsibility on her best friend’s shoulders.

No, Luna could not do everything herself. A bitter pill to swallow at times, but she had to be a realist. So, she kept running ads online and in the local papers and had flyers posted around the neighborhood her shop was located in. Most of the clientele who had utilized Noctis’s services lived within a few blocks, so she was hopeful that if she just keep spreading the word, she would find a replacement. Crowe came back from her break looking decidedly mussed and Luna smirked. “Comb your hair.”

“Uh, oops,” Crowe laughed, unrepented, but she did straighten her ponytail. “Better?”

“Yeah.” Luna waved to Aranea as she left, the shop falling silent again except for the quiet strains of harp and the sound of Iris humming along as she rearranged the displays.

The bell over the door jingled, and Luna smiled when a trio of teenage girls came in, making a beeline for the bookshelves. Her smile widened when she saw how easily Iris engaged with them and started making suggestions. But, she didn’t have long to observe that wholesome scene, for the girls were the first of the afternoon rush, which typically did not settle down until well after dinner time.

Around 6:30 p.m. when Luna saw how packed the cafe was despite only serving sandwiches and baked goods, she gave herself a mental pat on the back for adding it earlier this year. The revenue when it was just coffee and scones had been nice, but the addition of some actual food had really bumped it up. In fact, Luna thought she might be able to take an actual vacation soon. Somewhere warm and exotic to get away from the Insomnian winter maybe, like Altissia. She got so lost in her daydreaming, which was a rare occurrence for her. Even more extraordinary, she had turned her thoughts so intently inward that she did not even notice a woman approaching the counter until she cleared her throat delicately.

Luna looked up and prayed her blush wasn’t too noticeable. But then she had to blink and take a longer look… did she know this woman from somewhere, or was it just her incredibly beauty that Luna found so captivating? She was tall, and… regal was the only word for it. Luna suspected that when she moved it would be graceful and deliberate. She had long, thick black hair that gleamed beneath the shop lights and fell in a straight line nearly to her waist, setting off skin even paler than Luna’s own. Her lips were painted as darkly crimson as… well, as blood welling from a cut, Luna thought, with an inward cringe for her inability to come up with a more romantic comparison.

Her eyes were closed, but her lips were smiling. Perhaps she was blind? Luna didn’t see a cane or a seeing eye dog, but maybe she had her own method of getting around. At any rate, it wasn’t her place to question or judge. It _was_ her place to offer exemplary customer service, so she should probably stop staring and say something.

“Hi, welcome to The Oracle!” Luna chirped in her sunniest voice. “How can I help you today?”

“Perhaps it is I who can help you,” the woman drawled in a low, melodic voice, her intonation somehow filled with mystery. Or maybe that was just Luna projecting, because this brief interaction had her wanting to learn every single thing about this stranger.

“How can you do that?” Luna asked curiously, doing her best to keep flirtation from wrapping around her words.

“You seek a fortune teller. I read cards.” Those vermilion lips quirked more deeply into a smile, but her eyes — thick lashed, the lids dusted with eyeshadow a softer red than that on her mouth — remained closed.

Luna pushed her attraction aside and slid into her businesswoman persona, words crisp and betraying none of her excitement at potentially filling the spot. “How much experience do you have? Have you ever done this professionally before?”

“I have studied my entire life, but this would be my first official posting. Until now, I have not felt called to use my gifts to serve others. But this morning when I did my daily spread, I drew the high priestess, the moon, and the queen of wands. Those three, along with my other cards, indicated to me that it was time to step out of seclusion.”

Her smile diminished, a necessary byproduct of speaking. But at the end of her explanation, those hidden eyes opened, and Luna couldn’t help but gasp. Calling those eyes green was akin to calling a sunset pretty: correct, but insufficient of a description. They were liquid pools that Luna yearned to lose herself within, the shade of green more olive than verdant, a dark jade color that had Luna’s entire attention, her entire focus.

Could become her entire world… but, she was getting ahead of herself.

“I’ll hire you,” she said, after engaging in a brief grounding exercise and coming back into the mindset she needed to be in. “Provisionally. You’ll do readings this coming Saturday, and I will observe. If I’m satisfied, I’ll hire you full time.”

“That sounds most reasonable.” Those dreamy eyes were once more veiled by the obsidian veil of thick eyelashes.

“You should know that you’ll be expected to pitch in in other ways, too, when there are no clients, if you want full time hours. Otherwise, I’ll pay you on a client by client basis. Commission based instead of hourly.”

“I have no objection to assisting in any way I am able.” Her voice was as smooth as a placid river, and just like those still waters, Luna’s intuition told her that she would be just as deep.

“Great!” Luna hoped she didn’t sound too brusque, but she needed to end this conversation before the put her foot in her mouth. In her peripheral vision, she saw Crowe’s knowing smirk, and felt her cheeks heat in response. “Then, we’ll see you Saturday. Arrive around three and we’ll get you settled to start readings at four.” Those eyes opened once more, and Luna was stunned all over again despite having already seen the gorgeous depths revealed.

“Until Saturday.” Two simple words murmured in a placid tone, and the stranger was gone.

Only then did Luna realize she had never asked for her name.

* * *

Once the last customer had exited with their purchases, Luna clicked the lock in place with a heavy sigh. After her unexpected encounter, the rest of the evening had just flown on by. She was pleased with the unusual level of business for a Wednesday, and grateful that both Crowe and Iris had stayed to help her manage it.

“Sorry, but I gotta go,” Iris said apologetically. “It’s a school night, and I have homework. I’ll be back tomorrow! Good night!”

Luna and Crowe both called out their farewells as Iris slipped out the employee door off of the storeroom. Pulling down all the window shades, Luna tidied up a bit as she passed through the shop. She knew Crowe would handle cleaning up the cafe, so she would see to the rest. Thankfully, there wasn’t much to do — Iris, bless her, cleaned as she worked, determined to keep all the books organized and in good condition. The metaphysical side of the store hadn’t seen much traffic today and was largely untouched; Luna just had to straight out some packets of incense that had been perused and everything was in order for the next day.

She went back to the small office she kept — it was really just one corner of the storeroom that held a table for her laptop, but it suited her purposes — and began to tally up the day’s receipts. “So-o-o-o,” Crowe’s voice sang out playfully, elongating the monosyllabic word with such subtext it became a complete sentence. That didn’t stop her from adding, “What was that all about earlier?”

Luna felt her cheeks redden for the third time that day and inwardly cursed her fair skin which always broadcast her emotions to anyone within visual range. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she responded breezily, fingers flying over the keys of her calculator.

“Oh, come on, Lu… don’t give me that,” Crowe said with a huff, perching on one corner of Luna’s desk. “You hired her with zero background check, no application paperwork, just a five minute conversation that consisted of you trying to keep your eyes from popping out of your head.”

Giving up on math for now, Luna crossed her arms over her chest. She knew it was a defensive posture, but couldn’t help it — hearing Crowe list it off that way was as embarrassing as it was honest. “You’re right, as always. I didn’t even ask her name.”

Crowe… well, _crowed_ with laughter. “I knew it! Love at first sight, huh?” The teasing faded away, a smile of genuine happiness lighting up her angular features. “I haven’t seen you that taken with someone since—”

“Don’t.” Luna held up a hand, closing her eyes against the sudden upwelling of pain. She didn’t want to think about her past. It needed to stay in the past, where it belonged.

No, tonight... she was definitely thinking about her future… and the potential role her mysterious fortune teller might play in it.

“Sorry.” Dark eyes shone with apology, and Luna waved her hand in acknowledgement. “She is really pretty… can’t say I blame you.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Luna sighed wistfully, her sylleblossom eyes softening with the recollection of that luxurious obsidian hair, those surprisingly compelling eyes. And yes — she _had_ walked with the utter assurance and grace that Luna had predicted.

Wow. Luna had it _bad_.

She was rather enjoying the feeling. It had been too many years since she entertained a crush, let alone considered pursuing it. She almost wished she hadn’t hired her as a card reader, but then, Luna didn’t expect anyone could accuse her of abusing her position with the casual way she managed her employees.

But, just to be safe… she would ask her out on Saturday, before the evening shift started, before she had the chance to offer her a job, when she was _technically_ not her employee.

Now she just had to figure out how to do that without coming off as awkward as she feared she would seem. A businesswoman propositioning her newest hire. Gods!

“I can see from the way your brow got all scrunched up that you’re beating yourself up over something, but I can’t figure out what,” said Crowe. “Hey. Talk to me?”

“I just…” Luna trailed off, knowing she was over thinking it and wishing that wasn’t her tendency. But she and Crowe had been friends long enough that she knew Crowe would understand. “I really like her, Crowe. I know that I don’t really know her, but…”

“You trust your intuition,” Crowe supplied when Luna’s words faltered. “As you should.”

“I just don’t want to come off as weird or creepy, since she was looking for a job and I would be her boss.”

“Luna, I don’t think you could be creepy if you tried.” Crowe’s voice range with sincerity. “And believe me, I would be first in line to tell you if you were behaving inappropriately, with Aranea and Iris right behind me.”

“I know. And thank you. This was just… it was so unexpected. I just want to sit with these feelings the next couple days, and if they haven’t gone away by Saturday… I’ll ask her out.”

“That sounds fair,” Crowe said. “Now, on to more important matters…” she steepled her fingers beneath her chin and smiled so innocently that Luna knew she should be apprehensive. “What are you going to wear?”

* * *

The answer to that question was solved by an early morning shipping adventure with Crowe and Aranea. Luna thanked her foresight in not opening the shop until 4:00 p.m. on Fridays since this gave her the morning to either use for upkeep around The Oracle, or for her own personal errands. Today was definitely needed for the latter.

While it felt a bit silly and self indulgent to put so much planning into just asking someone on a date, it was also fun to spend some time being frivolous with her friends. Luna was only twenty-four years old, but because she owned her own business, rarely got the chance to truly act her age. Today was a wonderful opportunity to embrace being a young woman with a crush and pamper herself a little.

Currently the three friends were sitting in the food court, Crowe destroying a cheeseburger, Aranea eating a chicken caesar salad much more sedately, and Luna, feeling too excited to eat anything, was simply sipping on a grande peppermint mocha, a seasonal indulgence she awarded herself with whenever she braved the mall this time of year.

She wasn’t the only one with shopping bags at her feet. Crowe had made out like a bandit at Sephora’s winter clearance, and Aranea had joined Luna in choosing a new outfit for the special event at the shop Saturday night. Crowe had demurred on clothes since she would be overseeing the register as well as managing the cafe, but since Aranea volunteered to pinch hit as a cashier while Luna observed the reading, Crowe’s spirits were high.

“I wish I’d hung around the shop long enough to see her,” Aranea said between mouthfuls. “From how you both describe her, she’s gorgeous.”

“You already have a gorgeous girlfriend,” Luna laughed, playing with the straw in her mocha.

“Why stop with one?” Aranea winked mischievously.

Crowe swatted her. “Hey, I saw her before you. I have dibs.”

“Pretty sure Luna has dibs,” Aranea laughed.

“And I’m pretty sure polyamory means no ‘dibs’ are necessary.” Luna found herself surprisingly irritated by the byplay. “I’m also quite certain that she is not a commodity over which one can claim ‘dibs’.” Her accent asserted itself as her cheeks heated, the crisp clarity of Tenebrae wrapped around every syllable of what she knew was an unnecessary retort.

Today was another blushing day. How lovely.

“Geez, Luna, we’re just goofing around,” Aranea muttered with a frown before digging back into her lunch.

“You’re really nervous about this, aren’t you?” Trust Crowe to see past Luna’s attitude to the heart of things, as always.

“I really am,” Luna admitted. She tucked back an errant strand of hair behind one ear to buy herself a few precious seconds to compose herself. “My apologies.”

Aranea waved a hand in a silent ‘it’s cool’ since her mouth was full, but Crowe was not diverted by the words of remorse, clearly seeing them for the diversionary tactic they were.

“Some nerves are normal,” Crowe said gently, “but there really isn’t a need to get all worked up over this. The worst thing that happens is she says no, and refuses the job offer. Or maybe she accepts once but not the other. But…” Crowe trailed off, exchanging such a loving glance with Aranea that Luna almost felt she should give them privacy.

“Maybe, you put yourself out there, and something wonderful happens. You can’t know until you try.” Crowe punctuated her wisdom with a big bite of cheeseburger, dabbing ketchup off her chin with an encouraging smile.

“You’re right.” Luna straightened her posture as best she could in the rickety plastic chair, and finished her coffee. “Thank you. Now, I think I’m ready to eat something.”

* * *

Saturday had finally arrived, and the morning rush kept Luna so busy that she didn’t have time to feel anxious. After lunch, she left Crowe in charge for the early afternoon lull and went home to get herself ready for the evening. A short trip, since she lived in a studio apartment above The Oracle. Three hours should be more than enough time, right?

Two and a half hours later, her hair was hanging in wet strands around her face as she dug through her closet, having rejected the new outfit she had bought the day before as ‘trying too hard’ and systematically decided all of her clothes were stupid and wrong and maybe she should just call downstairs and tell Crowe she was sick and then she wouldn’t have the chance to fail beause being vulnerable was scary and she didn’t like it and—

Her self bludgeoning stream of consciousness was interrupted by a knock at her door. “Luna, you in there?” It was Aranea, and Luna was in no mood for company.

Another knock came while Luna tried to slow her breathing and prevent a panic attack. “I know where the spare key is. You can either let me in, or I’ll let myself in. You’ve got two minutes.”

Luna cursed Aranea’s determination even as she blessed her for it. After another series of breathing exercises, she tugged the belt of her robe tight and answered the door.

Aranea gave her a quick once over, letting out a low whistle of disbelief. “Geez Luna, you’re a mess. What’s wrong?”

“Thanks,” Luna retorted acerbically. “What’s wrong? _Everything’s_ wrong,” she wailed. Luna was fully aware she was being quite dramatic and honestly didn’t care. Here in the privacy of her own home, she could let her turbulent emotions reign.

“Why don’t you sit down for a minute while I find the floor?” Aranea gestured at the piles of clothes strewn everywhere.

Luna thought that sounded like a smart idea, so she listened, too worked up to feel ashamed at Aranea not only seeing the mess she had made, but restoring order to the chaos. She had been dating Crowe for almost a year now, so Luna decided it was time for her to learn that Crowe’s best friend who always had it together in reality just did a really good job of faking it.

“I know I’m behaving foolishly,” Luna murmured, eyes locked on her own clasped hands. “But I’m really nervous. It’s terrifying to put yourself out there again… but I’m so lonely. I always feel bad saying that. I have my family, I have my friends, and they _matter_.”

“But that’s different than having someone to go home to at the end of the day,” Aranea interjected. “I get it. And just because you want a girlfriend doesn’t mean you don’t value the relationships you already have. Stop being so mean to yourself, okay?”

“I’ll try,” Luna promised with a laugh. “It’s just hard. I know I don’t _need_ a romantic relationship to be happy with my life. I do perfectly fine on my own.”

“Needing something and wanting something isn’t the same thing,” Aranea grinned. “Anyone who knows you understands you aren’t the type to define yourself by your relationship status. But I think it’s okay to be selfish sometimes and go for what you want. Maybe it will end up being something you need after all, since while they don’t have to be synonymous, they don’t have to be mutually exclusive, either.”

“Wow, Aranea.” Luna pantomimed wiped away tears. “You should write greeting cards.”

“Shut up and get dressed,” Aranea smirked. “Your fortune teller will be here in,” she glanced at her wristwatch, “ten minutes.”

* * *

Luna had ended up going with the new outfit. Perhaps the occasion wasn’t significant enough to truly warrant such formality, but she had so much fun picking it out, and there was something to be said for wearing something that made you feel confident. She had chosen a sapphire blue dress that hung in simple lines from her shoulders to her feet; the hue was several shades darker than her eyes and made them pop without the need for any makeup. As she walked around the shop greeing people who had scheduled readings, her silver sandals peeked out from beneath the hem of her dress and sparkled. Her favorite earrings in a bright topaz that reminded her of sunrise finished off the look, framed by her fall of white-gold hair which was simply brushed back behind her ears rather than styled in any fancy way.

She skimmed the growing crowd for the beautiful stranger, but didn’t see her yet. It was only two minutes to four, so she should be arriving any moment now. After checking in with Crowe and Aranea, both doing a brisk business in their respective work zones, Luna headed back over to the other side of the shop. She’d set up an extra table with a clever display of tarot cards and deck boxes near the small seating area where clients would wait. Her hope was that they would be tempted to purchase some to take home with them, and to that end had several unwrapped decks for customers to flip through.

The jingle of bells from the doorway caused anticipation to shoot up her spine like lighting. Turning, Luna saw it was her mysterious reader, and she was walking right towards her. No, again, ‘walking’ was accurate but too imprecise — the woman glided, gleaming black stiletto boots revealed to the ankle by the swish of black skirts. The monochromatic look suited her, Luna decided, and it was artfully set off by metallic bronze polish on her nails and lips. A daring choice, but again — it suited her.

“Hi,” Luna said, feeling tongue tied.

“Good evening.” That velvety voice was like a caress to Luna’s spirit.

“So, here’s where you’ll work,” she said hastily, turning and leading her towards the reading area. She had a small round table set up with a dark violet cloth spread over it, a chair to either side. “I assumed you’d bring your own decks, but if you need to borrow some, that’s fine.”

“I have my own,” she said. “This is a nice set up you’ve got here.” Those eyes flashed open and scanned the shelves filled with crystals and cards, with statuary and incense. “The energy is good.”

“Thanks.” Luna took a breath. Okay. It was now or never.

“I had wondered,” the fortune teller spoke up as she seated herself behind the round table, “if you would have dinner with me when this is through?”

Luna’s mouth was agape. She knew it wasn’t a good look for her, but she was so taken aback at the lovely stranger beating her to the punch.

“I’d love to!” she responded with equal parts enthusiasm and honesty. “But, I don’t even know your name.”

A hand as pale as snow reached out to clasp Luna’s own, bronze tipped fingers entwining with those she had left unadorned.

“But you know _me_ somehow… yes?” That low voice was playful now, edging towards a purr as olive green eyes locked on sylleblossom blue.

“I do,” Luna whispered. “When you walked in my shop last Wednesday, I felt such recognition that I was sure I had met you before, but I can’t think of where.”

“Not where, but when.” Her smile deepened, cheek dimpling charmingly. She squeezed Luna’s hand, and Luna lowered herself into the empty chair.

“Dinner after this, and I will answer your questions… though I warn you, that information will only bring more.”

“It’s a date,” Luna agreed. “But… your name, please? I need to know how to introduce you.”

“Call me Gentiana,” a demure lowering of her eyelashes to half mast, those intent eyes still irrevocably locked on Luna’s own. “Lunafreya.”

How could she have known Luna’s given name?! Nobody knew that, not even Crowe. Her brother Ravus would use it when they were fighting but that was it; she had left that name behind years ago and hearing it spoken now was shocking.

“Gentiana.” She tried it out, feeling the shape of it in her mouth, tasting the way the syllables rolled off her tongue. Just the saying of it sent another thrill of _knowing_ through her. Luna was tempted to call off the tarot hours and send everybody home so she could sate her curiosity, but before her business sense failed her she stood, reluctantly dropping Gentiana’s hand as she did.

“I’ll go get your first client,” she said firmly, tearing her eyes away and beginning to turn. But before she had made it two steps, an insistent hand lay on her shoulder, prompting Luna to turn back.

Soft. Intense. Passionate. These were Luna’s first impressions when Gentiana’s mouth moved to cover hers, right there in the shop with people all around them. After they parted, Luna was gratified to see Gentiana’s pupils had expanded to eclipse the jade so far that only a sliver remained; she was certain her visage was similarly glassy. As far as first kisses went, this was one for the record books. She had to sit back down, and did so with a shaky laugh.

“Awfully forward of you,” she joked in an effort to cover up just how moved she was by a simple kiss.

“I couldn’t wait any longer,” Gentiana said without the slightest hint of apology. “Now I’m ready to work.”

And so Luna called over the first client, and set herself up nearby to observe. She already knew she would hire her, but she would take the opportunity to watch unabashed, to drink in the sight of the woman she already knew was going to hold her heart for the foreseeable future.

The fear was gone now, leaving pure excitement in its wake. She couldn’t wait to see what else the cards had in store for them.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is stolen from the lyrics of Amy Lee's _Speak To Me_, a song that continues to inspire various works in various fandoms — I love it so much, even though it's a bit angsty to go with this piece, I felt like the message in the lyrics could fit.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading! If you enjoyed, please consider leaving some kudos or comments under the holiday tree for me. <3


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